World Day Against Child Labour: History, Singniface, Theme and All That You Need to Know
The World Day Against Child Labour is observed every year on June 12 in more than 100 countries around the globe. As per the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are about 152 million children who are engaged in child labour and even worse is that fact that about 72 million are engaged in hazardous activities. The alarming fact is that every 1 out of 10 children in the world is engaged in child labour. Though the number of child labourers in the world has declined over the past few years still the decline rate is too low. Most of these child labourers are engaged in unpaid activites and are being exploited mentally and physically by their employers.
World Day Against Child Labour: History
Many children around the globe are engaged in work that deprives them of a normal childhood like getting basic education, proper health care, leisure time, freedom and justice. Taking into consideration the plight of these children and with an aim to make the world aware about the conditions and rights of these children the ILO in the year 2002 organized the first-ever World Day Against Child Labour.
Significance of World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour mainly focuses on the children development and it protects the right of education and dignified life for the children. World Day Against Child Labour is organized to bring attention to the problem of child labour and to find ways to eradicate it or fight against it. Several organisations including the ILO are making efforts to curb the child labour. But we as individuals should also be responsible and take our duties to help in eliminating child labour. Most of the children who come out of child labour know their potential and self-worth and when given proper care and attention can contribute significantly to the economic and social growth of the country and world at large.
World Day Against Child Labour 2020: Theme
As per the UN website, the theme for World Against Child Labour 2020 has been set as "Protect Children from Child Labour, Now More Than Ever". This year the ILO focuses upon the impact of the Corona crisis on child labour. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic and labour market shock have had a massive impact on the lives of many children, who are often the first and the worst sufferers. This pandemic crisis has exposed thousands of vulnerable children into child labour. Thus year the Global March Against Child Labour and the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA) together with the support of ILO is organizing a virtual campaign. The ILO is also organizing online debates and seminars to cater to the issue.
Unknown Facts About Child Labour
- Around 48% of the child labourers are aged between 5-11 years. 28% fall in the age group of 12-14 years and around 24% of victims of child labour are of the age 15-17 years.
- About 152 million children of the age 5-17 years are involved in organized or unorganized child labour activities.
- The agricultural sector sees the largest percentage of child labour, that constitutes to around 71%. The service sector and the industrial sector including mining employ about 17% and 12% child labourers respectively.
- 73 million of these children are involved in hazardous activities like working in the mines or in the firecracker industries.
- The year 2021 will be observed as the International Year for the elimination of Child Labour and the ILO has been asked to take a lead in this.
On this day let's pledge to educate and support the unprivileged children as our initiative to stop child labour. Let's also pledge to raise a voice against all those who misbehave with these children.
